History of Prosperity
by Bunnyhops
Summary: An explanation of how/why the Malfoy's endure.


**History of Prosperity**

No one knew for certain when _She_ entered the lives of the Malfoy Family. They just knew that _She_ had, at some point, made a promise to one of the Malfoy ancestors.

Goddess of Prosperity and Wealth. Originally, it is said that her name was Euthenia. However, _She_ took many different names and many different forms, none more irritating to a Malfoy than her current persona of a rather celebrated Muggle-born.

Draco closed his eyes and tried to quiet his mind and her screams. _They had to do something_, he thought with some amount of urgency.

Draco's eyes cut to his father.

The Malfoy patriarch looked positively stricken. Lucius had recognized her for what she was, as well. Father and son had had a conversation about her; neither wizard was very keen on debating the merits of treating Hermione Granger with respect and allowing her to win, with a half-mad hatter who hat split his soul a number of times. The Malfoy men also could not reveal her identity to Voldemort, else he would bargain his prosperity with her. Both men agreed that this was not an option.

Draco came back to the present. He had to stop this.

_She_ was smirking at him just as the thought entered his mind; she'd heard it. From the floor of the grand room, she had been crying and screaming; but now, as the recognition to act gathered momentum, she had stopped and smirked, looking him dead in the eye.

"Hermione," he whispered. Not because he meant to whisper it, but because his voice was not used very often lately; the exception being him begging to end the Cruciatus leveled upon him. Draco recognized the need to stop his aunt; to further alert his father that it was time to act.

Draco cleared his throat. "Stop." The word was not a full shout, nor was it assertive, but it held enough emotion to draw attention.

Narcissa tensed but said nothing. Her eyes bouncing between her son and her sister.

Silence, pregnant with tension, continued for what seemed like hours. Narcissa took a small breath in preparation of trying to reason with Bella or in celebrating it as her last – she wasn't entirely sure which it was.

It was Rodolphus who spoke, instead.

"Draco, you have a question?"

"N-no. I…"

"Perhaps, you do not want your dear aunt to be so greedy? Hmmm?" Rodolphus turned to his wife, with a stern, but mildly humorous expression. "Bella, do give the boy a turn. It's rude to hog all the fun for yourself."

Draco cringed when Bellatrix cackled at her husband's comment.

"Yes, Roddy. How inconsiderate of me. Drakey, would you like a turn?" She asked in the sweetest of voices, so contrary to her normal brash tones.

He hated that pet name, but it helped to focus his anger and stand up a bit taller. "No, Auntie," she hated that one – two could play at this game, he thought childishly. "I want you to stop torturing Hermione Granger."

Lucius found his voice and walked close enough to Bellatrix to smell her breath's rancid odor. "It's crass, carving into flesh, Bella. Your madness has escalated with your _release_ from Azkaban." He looked at her disheveled state and sneered. "Pity."

Bella was slightly surprised at both Draco's gumption and Lucius' disdain for her. _They are both cowards_, she thought randomly. _How completely out of character_. Her distraction with the current Malfoy courage would be her downfall.

Draco, taking a moment to mentally commend his father, whispered, "Expelliarmus!" Disarming Bellatrix, then quickly blowing her husband into the next room via the wall separating the two.

After that, everything was a blur of action. Curses against family members; sister against sister, husband against nephew against brother-in-law. In the end, four stood, and two lay still; the Malfoy's had won this brief, but poignant battle. It was of no consequence, however. The larger problem was Voldemort, not the Lestranges.

Once again, as the thought entered the mind of the Malfoy men, the Goddess smirked. Dusting herself off as she stood, seemingly more graceful and powerful than just moments' ago, she spoke. Her words soft and gentle. "Do not fret, dearest Lucius. You, and young Malfoy, will prosper as promised."

All of the Malfoy men had been taught by their elder Malfoy to not question, only to serve the Goddess, but now, at this delicate moment, as she peered into Draco's soul, he cracked. Bowing to her, appealing to her sense of superiority, he asked, "How did you become? How were we chosen?"

Lucius took in a sharp breath and stepped forward to protect his son, or appease her anger, whichever came first. She raised a finger and offered a small smile. It ended his progress, and he bowed his head to her.

Narcissa closed her eyes with a degree of frustration and panic. They would all be dead soon if they didn't leave this place. The frustration grew when it looked as though the Hermione-Goddess was sitting right back down on the very spot that she had previously been tortured.

A second later, and with a wave of the Goddess' hand, Narcissa was startled as a strange feeling settled across the room. Narcissa understood a moment later when the grand clock did not tick; time had stopped.

Hermione-Goddess inhaled, as she began her tale. Lucius and Draco exchanged looks then settled themselves to listen. Draco sat in front of the intriguing witch, and Lucius found a chair near his wife.

"I had been reborn, you see. An old soul in a new body – energized and free from the aches and wisdom of experience." She paused and looked at the three. "With each new body comes a certain period of novelty before the memories and understanding sinks in. I am old now, sharing a body with the new Goddess. As I depart, she will arrive, and all will be new." Draco interrupted, and Lucius rolled his eyes. Hermione-Goddess smiled.

"The other witch, with you… Is she Hermione Granger still? Will she be?"

"She is and will be so much more than Hermione Granger, Muggle-born witch. She was chosen."

Draco frowned. There were so many other types of Goddesses Granger could inhabit: War, Compassion, Education… the Goddess of Prosperity just didn't make sense.

The Hermione-Goddess answered his unasked question. "She is just. Righteous and fair in light of prejudice against her. Hermione begged for your family to remain safe and reacted against Bellatrix and Rodolphus to be terminated."

Draco nodded.

Hermione-Goddess turned to Narcissa. "Hermione's heart aches for you, Narcissa. Bellatrix was your sister. Her heart aches even though you did not raise a hand in her favor to end the torture. I say that not to shame you, but to bring understanding."

Narcissa closed her eyes as the tears fell. Lucius took her hand in support.

"What happens now?" Narcissa questioned. She felt numb and scared and hopeful all at the same time.

"I will depart, and she will arrive. You will remain blessed by the Goddess of Prosperity. You are brave and bold, like your ancestors. We are pleased with you. Though, as a parting word of advice from an old soul. Let's try to make better decisions on who we align ourselves with in the future, yes?"

All Malfoys nodded in rueful agreement.

It looked as though _She_ was beginning to fade. Wanting to ask her once more, Lucius stopped her. "If it pleases you, milady, one more question?"

Hermione-Goddess smiled. It was a smile that spoke to being charmed by a handsome wizard.

"Will you share with us the Malfoy who stole your heart – to whom you made the promise?"

"Lucius..." Her head tilted, and she had a faraway look in her eyes as she said his name.

Lucius looked slightly uncomfortable; Hermione-Goddess clarified. "Your namesake, father to Brutus Malfoy. My name was Elizabeth."

It was rumored that the Queen and Lucius Malfoy had been lovers and that he had been cast away by her Protestant advisors in fear of his magic. It was said that a solid portion of the Malfoy holdings was due to the Queen's generosity and her never-ending love for Lucius.

Recognition dawned on the three, just as the time returned. The clock tocked loudly, the smell of smoke and blood and urine pervaded the air, and the feeling of magic singed the fingertips of the witches and wizards present.

Screaming could be heard in the yards, and panic seized them just as Hermione Granger, newly arrived Goddess of Prosperity blinked her eyes in confusion.

"Malfoy?" She looked at the faces of Lucius and Narcissa. She looked at the body of Bellatrix. Hermione thought that the feet inside the large hole in the wall were attached to Bella's husband, Rodolphus. A lingering presence in her mind staid her actions. Connecting the dots, Hermione looked again at Draco Malfoy.

He nodded and stood up quickly. "Granger, we've got to run!" he snapped, pulling her hands so that she lifted to her feet.

"Wait!" she said. "The Order will help you, but we can't run."

Narcissa stepped forward. "They won't help us, Ms. Granger. Not right now."

Hermione smiled, raising the hair on the back of Lucius' neck. She looked as though she _knew_.  
"Mrs. Malfoy, I won't let them harm you. You are blessed by the Goddess."

"I thought you wouldn't remember..?" Draco commented in disbelief.

"Smartest witch of her age and all that rot," Snapped Hermione-Goddess, with a cheeky grin.

Before the voices got louder and the Order came closer, Hermione-Goddess closed her eyes, tilted back her head and spoke an ancient spell.

Magic, as deeply red as the most vivid sunset erupted from her chest and circled around for as long as the eyes could see. Time stood still; the red magic faded, and Hermione opened her eyes.

Minutes went by as they stood in silence before time, once more, started. "It's done," she said, exhaling and shaking her head.

With tears in her eyes, she met the curious expressions of the Malfoys. "He is dead… They both are."

By the time the Order found the four, the news had spread. Harry had defeated Voldemort. They had both perished in the battle.


End file.
